The invention relates to apparatus for facilitating the draining of fluids from vehicles and more particularly to draining fluids from vehicles prior to dismantling.
In the majority of industrialized nations, millions of vehicles are scrapped each year. Usable parts are removed for sale in the used parts market and the reminder of the vehicles are treated as scrap metal. Prior to dismantling, all fluids, which typically are flammable and present an environmental hazard, are drained from the vehicle for proper disposal.
Most simply, vehicles have been placed over a pit, conventional ports are opened or new openings are formed to allow fluids to gravity drain into the pit or into drainage pans positioned within the pit. Alternatively, the vehicle is placed on an elevated platform and fluids allowed to drain into collection devices.
One such platform is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,223,855 B1 to Lindner. The vehicle is lifted by forklift and placed on a fixed elevated work platform surrounded by elevated, height adjustable work surfaces. The front work surfaces can be swiveled aside to allow access by the forklift. The tanks of the vehicle are perforated using a tank voiding module which permits the fluids to drain, however the platform supporting the vehicle cannot be tilted to permit more complete drainage of fluids from the vehicle. A suction device is used to attempt to remove as much fluid as possible and the fluid and vapors collected are fed out through a hose system to collection devices.
It is known that in many cases one cannot rely on gravity alone, with the car in a normally upright position, to ensure that all fluids are removed. Thus, platforms are known which also rotate the vehicle to cause fluids to be more completely drained.
EP patent 0 544 342 B1 to Van den Mosselaar describes a platform having a lifting and rotating frame. The frame is pivotable about a horizontal shaft such that when the vehicle is clamped into the frame it is lifted above the platform and rotated substantially 180 degrees to expose the bottom of the vehicle. Fluids otherwise trapped within the vehicle may then be free to drain into collection devices positioned below the vehicle. The apparatus of Van den Mosselaar is capable of pivoting in a single axis of rotation only which may leave fluids trapped at either end of the vehicle.
Clearly there is need for a vehicle articulation apparatus that is capable of elevating a vehicle for access by personnel and that can be pivoted in more than one axis of rotation for more complete drainage of fluids prior to disassembly.
An apparatus for draining fluids from a vehicle comprises a very simple frame supporting an elevated platform, the platform being pivotable relative to the frame about both a longitudinal and a transverse axis, to permit complete drainage of fluids from a vehicle positioned on the platform. The platform has an opening to facilitate draining of the fluids therethrough.
In a broad aspect of the invention, the vehicle articulation apparatus for draining fluids from a vehicle comprises: a platform having a drain opening formed therein, the platform being adapted to receive and support the vehicle positioned over the opening; a frame to support the platform; first and second pivots connected between a first end of the platform and the frame, the second pivot being connected to the first pivot, the first and second pivots being perpendicular to one another to permit pivoting of the platform relative to the frame about a longitudinal axis and about a transverse axis; and at least two control means connected to the platform and independently operable to permit rotation of the platform about either or both the first and second pivots so as to tilt the platform side-to-side and end-to-end to ensure maximum drainage of fluids from the vehicle through the opening.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the elevation means are hydraulic rams, pivotally connected at both ends between the frame and the platform, such that when either or both of the rams is actuated the frame is caused to pivot about either or both the longitudinal and the transverse axis.
Preferably the rams are situated midway between a first and second end of the frame to achieve an acceptable compromise between leverage and displacement of the platform.
The first and second pivots are preferably superimposed, one on top of the other, through a unique bracket assembly. The bracket assembly comprises a lower pivot base which is connected, preferably by welding, to the frame and which has a pair of upstanding, opposing pillow block bearings supporting a lower pivot pin. An upper pivot base is connected to and pivotable with the lower pivot pin. The upper pivot base supports a second pair of upstanding pillow block bearings, oriented 90 degrees to the lower pillow block bearings. The upper pivot base is pivotally connected to the platform through a second upper pivot pin supported in the upper pillow block bearings. Thus connected, the platform is pivotable about either or both the upper and lower pivot as a result of movement of the hydraulic rams.
Additionally, elevated work surfaces are positioned about the platform and supported by the frame to permit an operator to access the vehicle for dismantling, during draining or after the fluids have been completed drained from the vehicle. The elevated work surfaces are accessible through a staircase connected to the elevated surfaces. The underside of the vehicle is accessible from beneath the raised platform.